I ask this question in order to respond to a Christian. Who are those mentioned in the verse (what means): {… and for bringing hearts together …} and what is the difference between them and Christian missionaries?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.

Those whose hearts are inclined towards Islam are of two categories:

The first one: Non-Muslims whom we hope to convert to Islam. Nowadays, we may pay them zakat according to the Hanbali and Maaliki schools. However, we do not pay zakat to them according to the Hanafi and Shaf‘i schools.

The second one: Muslims whom we hope will remain steadfast. We pay them zakat according to the Maaliki, Shafi`i and Hanbali schools.

However, the Hanafis adopt the view that they are not to be given zakat – nowadays – whether they are Muslims or not, since Allaah Almighty caused Islam to triumph and there is no need to bring their hearts towards Islam. Muslims who are not steadfast in Islam and are poor may be given zakat because of their poverty but not in order to incline their hearts towards Islam. This is the explanation of the required ruling that distinguishes those whose hearts are inclined and giving them zakat. This significantly differs from Christianization. Hence, the basic purpose is delivering these people from disbelief to Islam, from darkness to light and from falsehood to truth. This is completely contrary to Christianization which is misguiding people out of the light and into darkness, from Islam to disbelief and from truth to absolute falsehood.

Allaah Knows best.